Friday, December 30, 2011

Well we made it to the U.S. Just fine. I am sitting in my parents kitchen in Waunakee, Wisconsin as I type this blog entry.

Big thanks to our good friend Jeff Koren who gave us great advice on how to handle the pitfalls of US Customs and Immigration . He said I should go through the "visitor " line at passport control with Eric and that way we went through passport control together. Sure enough, we breezed right through!

Got in last Friday and had a wonderful Christmas with my Parents and my Sister and her family , who also flew out from California. There even was a light dusting of snow still on the ground here , so we ended up having a White Christmas after all.

We then had a fantastic celebration for my Parents 50th Wedding Anniversary on December 27th. There was a special church service where they reaffirmed their wedding vows, which was followed by a dinner and party with over 60 friends and family .

We are here through New Year's and will fly back to London on Monday. It is always surprising how fast the time goes by. There is never enough time to see all the people you want to see, and who want to see you. So to folks who we were unable to connect with this trip, our apologies, but there was just too much going on and too little time.

It is always great to get back to Madison. I grew up here so it is always "coming home": for me. Showing Eric around the UW Madison campus you find yourself awash in memories.

Yet as is always the case, you tend to notice the changes more than the things that have stayed the same . Which is interesting, because it tends to be little things that change.

One of my favorite stores on State Street; (The Puzzlebox) is no longer there, yet State Street Brats remains as a constant. A firewall against a tide of changes that might wipe away all Madison traditions.

Lots of people have asked us, if living in London is "all that different" compared to here. And the answer is obviously, yes. It is very different. Yet at the same time it is not so different. It is the paradox of how do you define "home". Where you grew up will always be home, in the sense it is where you come from. Yet home is far more a matter of where your life is. This will always be where I am "from", but it is no longer where my life is.

There have been some wonderful moments this trip. One of the most amazing has been introducing Eric to one of my oldest friends.

Some long time readers of this blog may recall one of my first entries was about my dilemma over reconnecting with my friend after being out of touch for many years. As has been so often the case in my life, I am very lucky to have friends who are far braver and much wiser than I am.

No politics in this posting, sorry. But have no fear, I will have much to say about the nuttiness of the Iowa GOP Caucus next week. The near collapse of the Euro, the Mayans predicting 2012 as the end of the world, and of course random thoughts on Doctor Who....

Monday, December 19, 2011

There has been various reactions to the news that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il has shuffled off his mortal coil. The North Korean Central News Agency announced the news with one of their customary over the top performances.

The issues that arise from the transition of power in North Korea are clearly very serious, given the spectre of political instability in an insular, paranoid nation that possesses an atomic weapon. The issue of instability in the North is always a troubling one for South Korea. The idea that the Korean Peninsula will someday reunify, is one South Koreans hope for, yet in practice the idea of the border between North and South coming down, is a problematic one for South Korea.

North Korea is for all intents and purposes a sealed bubble. The image of the Korean Peninsula taken from the International Space Station tells the story. You see the vast web of lights that outline South Korea, and the pitch dark outline of the North with one pinprick of light being the Capital Pyongyang. North Korea exists with the vast majority of its population knowing only what they have been told by the Government.

Now imagine for a moment, waking up one day and finding out that everything you have ever been told, taught or believed about the world was in fact, completely wrong. Now times that by twelve million people, and you see the dilemma reunification poses for the South. Unlike with Germany, Korean reunification would create a refugee crisis on a biblical scale, almost over night.

I remember my first visit to the border area between the two Koreas (the "DMZ") . It was in 1997. It was , as you might imagine, a unique experience. It remains essentially the last remaining front of the Cold War. It will be fascinating to watch the transition of Power there. Kim's appointed successor is his third son Kim Jon Eun, who is in his twenties, but was recently made a four star General in the North Korean military.

It is in everyone's interest that the two Koreas reconcile peacefully. The late Kim Jong il was nothing if not unique. His flamboyant personal style and odd personality traits made him an easy target for comedy. The greatest example of course, being "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who used Kim as central villian for their movie "Team America - World Police". Giving the "dear leader" his own moment in cinematic history, and a song to go with it.

So we bid farewell to the "dear leader" with a look back at his moment of movie musical glory.

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

It has not been a good week if you are a bigoted Gay-hating evangalooney-toon member of the American Taliban. First, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a remarkable speech at a United Nations conference commemorating the anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

That same day, the Obama Administration took steps similar to those already taken by the British Government in making how nations treat their LGBT citizens, a factor in considering future foreign aid. (via the huffington post.)

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is announcing a wide-ranging effort to use U.S. foreign aid to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, including combating attempts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality. In a memorandum issued Tuesday, President Barack Obama directed U.S. agencies working abroad, including the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, to use foreign aid to assist gays and lesbians who are facing human rights violations.

The President also ordered U.S. agencies to protect vulnerable gay and lesbian refugees and asylum seekers. "The struggle to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons is a global challenge, and one that is central to the United States' commitment to promoting human rights," Obama said in a statement.

Add to that, the fact the most rabidly gay sex obsessed homophobe running for the GOP nomination just can't seem to get any love from GOP voters. Rick Santorum, may as well be Ron Paul for all the attention he is getting these days.

So channelling that frustration, Santorum beats his "gays are destroying our nation" drum louder, harder and faster in hopes that the Tea-baggers of Iowa will finally notice him. (hat tip to thinkprogress.org) Rick Santorum told a crowd in Spencer, Iowa this afternoon that equal rights for gays and lesbians would “destabilize the family” and “accomodate a different values structure.” “It’s about what America’s basic moral values should be that would be reflected in the law,”

If that wasn't enough, just last week Marine Gen. James F. Amos, the man who was for a time, the face of opposition in the military to lifting the ban on gays serving openly, acknowledgedhis concerns were unfounded. In fact, he says, Marines have embraced the change. He said that at the annual ball in Washington this month celebrating the birth of the Marine Corps, a female Marine approached Amos' wife, Bonnie, and introduced herself and her lesbian partner. "Bonnie just looked at them and said, `Happy birthday ball. This is great. Nice to meet you,'" Amos said. "That is happening throughout the Marine Corps." In an Associated Press interview, Amos called the repeal in September "a non-event."

Having all this in the space of less than a week was just too much for the American Taliban, and their collective heads pretty much exploded. Matt Barber, the oh-so butch, spokes-bigot for the Right Wing hate group the "Liberty Council" attacked Clinton and President Obama for having an “obsession with the radical homosexual activist agenda.”

Over at the Family Research Council, (another group certified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a Hate Group, just like the Klu Klux Klan) they didn't even wait for Hillary Clinton to finish her speech before they started sputtering with incoherent rage. FRC "Senior Fellow" Peter Sprigg (aka "Porno Pete" due to the extensive 'research' he likes to do in sex clubs and at fetish events, about the dangers of Gay Porn,) spewed: "It is startling that President Obama is prepared to throw the full weight and reputation of the United States behind the promotion overseas of the radical ideology of the sexual revolution."

Sprigg's boss and everybody's favourite white supremacist and faux Christian , Tony Perkins couldn't contain himself, and had to had his oddly effeminate voice to the chorus of rage on the wing nut right, saying that Obama is hostile and disdainful toward Christianity, and that Christians who voted for Obama should repent, saying; “Any Christian that voted for Obama in 2008 should be repenting [and voting differently] in the next election," Perkins told the Christian Post. "This administration has been the most hostile toward religious freedom.” Apparently, according to Perkins, if you say torturing and killing gay people is a bad thing, you are infringing on his religious freedom.

Not one to be left out of a good hate fest, Texas Governor and political rodeo clown, Rick Perry chimed in saying, "Just when you thought Barack Obama couldn't get any more out of touch with America's values. ... This administration's war on traditional American values must stop."

SO just to be clear, Rick Perry feels upholding the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a war on American Values. You know, it worked out so well the last time The Republicans nominated a Texas Governor with a 4th grade vocabulary and a penchant for confusing the voices in his head, with God, I can see why the GOP might be considering giving it another go.

Wow! I am so glad Rick Perry cleared THAT up for all of us! It's not unemployment, climate change, a broken financial sector that bilked the country out of trillions. No! The real problem facing America is that Gay Soldiers hate Christmas!! Why didn't I see it before!

And of course... last but certainly never least. We have everybody's favorite hate mongering dementia patient soiling his adult diaper over all things Gay. Predicting that his personal angry God will SMITE Barack Obama and the rest of us godless liberals for daring to , actually follow the example of Christ, and do that whole work for justice stuff. According to Pat, God really hates that!

What the past couple days have made clear is what the American right wing nutters plan to do in 2012. The GOP can't run on their economic plan, because that is what drove the economy off the cliff in the first place. They can't run as the Party that "fights the war on terror" since they completely failed in more than seven years, to get Osama Bin Laden, but the Obama Administration got him in three. They cant run against Obamacare, because there is no such thing, and they cant run against Nancy Pelosi because she isn't Speaker of the House any more. So what's left to motivate their small minded, fearful, angry base to get out and vote?

Oh yeah... The Gays!!

All kidding aside, these people are insane. But the great irony here is still the baffling twister-esque contortions on the issue of Marriage Equality by President Obama. He has his Secretary of State stand up before the world and say loudly and clearly that "Gay rights are Human Rights". He issues executive orders saying loudly and clearly that nations that persecute their LGBT citizens will lose out on American aid.

He says DOMA is unconstitutional , won't defend it in court, even refrains for enforcing it in a select few cases. YET when asked to support the right of all Americans to marry he cowers behind nonsensical babble of supporting equal rights, but marriage is only between a man and woman. Then says his position is still "evolving". Does the President actually think that by refusing to support marriage equality, there are people who will vote for him who otherwise wouldn't?

When the best the other side can come up with is Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney, it's not like the guy has that much to lose by standing up for a core Democratic constituency.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

The old song goes; “There’s no place like home for the holidays...” For many Americans living overseas, that means getting on planes and trekking across the globe to spend the holidays back in the good ‘old U.S. of A. Nothing could be finer, right?

Well in theory, yes. This year, Eric and I will travel to Madison, Wisconsin to spend Christmas, New Years, and my Parents 50th wedding anniversary with my family. THAT part of the trip, actually “being home” for the holidays is fine. We both are really looking forward to time with family and friends back in the United States. That’s not the problem.

It’s the “going “ there that is the issue. Not the travel itself. British Airways will get us from London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare non-stop with their usual decent service, moderately edible food, and passable in-flight movie options.

Then after a 2 hour layover, American Eagle airlines will take us the final 40 minute or so hop from Chicago to Madison with little effort. No, the problem is what happens during the lay over between these two flights.

As a married couple, one would think the process of entering the United States would be simple. Right? After all, for the vast majority of bi-national married couples, (couples where one spouse is an American citizen and the other is not...) entering the United States is a pretty straight forward exercise. As long as you have all the right spousal visas etc. The non-citizen spouse should have little or no delay joining you on the other side of the little booths over at baggage claim. Guess again.

For bi-national married couples who happen to be of the same gender, Immigration and Passport control at any major American airport, is for lack of a better metaphor, something of acrap shoot, all depending on the mood of the homeland security passport control agent you encounter.

For both Eric and I this is the most stressful part of the entire trip. To such a extent, that were it not also my parent’s golden wedding anniversary, we probably would have opted not to come at all.

Because of the ridiculously mis-named “Defence of Marriage Act” (or DOMA) , the Federal Government is barred from recognizing Eric as my Spouse, despite the fact that we are legally married in the United Kingdom. So the Department of Homeland Security must treat Eric not as part of my family, but instead as just some non-American guy who is travelling with me.

So after an 8 hour transatlantic flight, we will stagger into the international arrivals hall and then (thanks to DOMA) have to split up into different lines to get through passport control. Eric who has a valid multiple entry tourist visa, will go the non-US Citizen line, while I go through the line for Americans and US Permanent Residents .

Eric will get to the little booth and hand his landing card and passport to the Agent. Now, let me explain why both of us tend to get very stressed at this point. Eric is a Malaysian Citizen permanently living in the UK. He isn’t British, but is travelling from Britain, his passport is Malaysian (an Islamic country) but he isn't Malay or Muslim. He is Chinese, and Buddhist. His landing card says he is visiting the United States to see his in-laws in Wisconsin. But he isn’t in the US Citizen / Permanent Resident line with his “spouse”. All of this, often will mystify and confuse the US border agent.

Eric will then be subjected to a barrage of more than slightly aggressive questions. Such as "So who is it you are travelling with, what is your relationship with this person, and where are they now?" All in spite of having a VALID multiple entry tourist visa. He will patiently answer all the questions (usually three or more times). At this point, the TSA Border agent's brain completely fails to grasp the concept of two men travelling together as married couple. As a result , Eric is “pulled aside” for additional screening that has at times, lasted more than four hours, where he is asked the exact same questions all over again.

All because the U.S. Federal Government (which happily taxes me to support the Dept. of Homeland Security,) can’t treat us the way the British Government, treats us, as a married couple. Thanks to DOMA

In the past it has gotten so ridiculous that once I stood outside the international arrivals gate at the San Francisco Airport, loudly threatening to call all my members of congress and every single media outlet in Northern California if they didn’t let Eric through NOW! (Thankfully at that point, they did...) Mind you that was in San Francisco, a city where the concept of a same-sex couple travelling together was hardly unusual. This trip it will be Chicago O’Hare that will once more, put our faith in the Department of Homeland Security to the test.

How would you feel if; 1) In order to even be with, let alone marry the person you love, you had to move overseas. Then; 2) every time you wanted to visit your family, it was entirely possible that based on nothing more than a border agent’s mood, (not for any logical reason, evidence or probable cause), your husband or wife could be detained for hours, or even barred from entering the country.

All for no other reason, than the basic legal protections other married couples enjoy, we are denied, because the Republican Party needs to keep Gay and Lesbian Americans as the one group they can still legally hate, and discriminate against.

Welcome to our world, Happy Holidays. To our friends and family back in the States, we are looking forward to (hopefully) seeing you soon.

Sunday, December 04, 2011

Writing this week in The Washington Post, conservative heavyweight George Will, examines the now two-horse race for the GOP Presidential nomination between former Massachusetts Governor, Willard, "Mitt" Romney, and former House Speaker, and Georgia Congressman Newt Gingrich.

In the piece, Will characterizes the reversal in political fortunes of the two as a move from "bad to worse". In fairness, George Will is not what you could call an unbiased observer. His own wife is an advisor to rival GOP Presidential candidate, Texas Governor Rick Perry.

When the topic of Newt Gingrich comes up with his fellow talking heads, on ABC's, "This Week", George Will tends to make it clear, he doesn't take Gingrich even remotely seriously.

As far as Mitt Romney goes, in his piece in the Washington Post, Will compares an Obama-Romney match up to Harry Truman going up against Thomas Dewey. Hardly a metaphor for Republican success. So who does George Will think the GOP should pick to go up against President Obama next November? Former U.S. Ambassador to China, and Utah Governor Jon Huntsman.

Huntsman's positions of being in favor of civil unions for same sex couples, believing in climate change and evolution, mean he is the one candidate in the current GOP field who is not either, woefully opportunistic in their policy track record, or completely insane.

Thankfully for Democrats it also means he is the one man who the Republican Party will never, ever, not in a million years, pick as their nominee. For the simple reason, the nutjob theocrats who now control the GOP would never allow it.

Why not? Simple. It's the same reason they are now willing to overlook Newt Gingrich's three marriages and track record of serial adultery. Huntsman, like Romney is a Mormon and that just gives the Evangelical nutjobs of the GOP the willies.

The fact that the opinion of George Will, one of the American Conservative Movement's most prominent minds is being completely ignored, is a fascinating glimpse into the Republican Party of 2011. Their lockstep allegiance to an American Taliban-esqe conservative social agenda at all costs, will all but hand a second term to Barack Obama on silver platter.

It will be interesting to see what will happen when the Republican Party, which went completely insane when they lost to Barack Obama the first time, faces the reality that his re-election was far more their own doing, than a result of anything the Democrats did.